Friday, March 25, 2011

CATCHING GALAHS IN TOTTENHAM

* a collection of stories and memories, in no particular order, from the life and times of John Clarke, who served as a policeman in the Australian Police Force, a great practical joker, he also had a great affinity with people and wildlife, was a champion swimmer, snooker player, loved golf, still loves fishing and is also an artist. I hope you enjoy his recollections - cheers, karin (his daughter)

There was a big gum tree on a friend's property and a pair of galahs were nesting in a big old dead branch.

We waited til the chicks were fairly mature and Rex and I went out in his new work utility (Rex was an electrician). We put the extension lader up in the back of the landrover and I climbed up with a chainsaw to enlarge the nest hole so I could get my hand in.

As I started to cut, the branch suddenly snapped and fell fair on top of Rex's Ute's cabin, pushing it down in the centre to bonnet level.

We never got those chicks who were further in the tree. We came home with our backs and necks bent down under the smashed roof to the amusement of the Tottenham population.

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John Clarke

About Me

John is my father, married to Sally, whom he met a while a young lifesaver at Bondi Beach, Sydney in the 1960's.
I created this blog for him, to share his recollections with family and friends. John was a policeman before he retired, but continues to be a fine storyteller, fisherman, wildlife & marine expert who has tried his hand at many things and given us all a lot of joy through storytelling, practical jokes and mishaps!
I thought the stories so wonderful and worthy of dedicating a blog to them for others to enjoy. In John’s life as a policeman he was highly respected and saved many lives, attended many difficult and fatal accidents, living in a number of outback and coastal towns.
Wherever he lived, I’m proud to say he befriended the locals and they befriended him. That tended to include the wildlife and all kinds of characters. He has that special affinity with animals, plants and the natural world.
John is also an artist and comes from a creative family. enjoy the read, sit back and relax with a cuppa, enjoy a good laugh or two on us - karin
Contact johnsally.clarke@gmail.com